Room For One More
by M-15 Vindicator
Summary: When James Vega decides to use the hot tub in Shepard's new apartment, he gets more than he bargained for. Citadel DLC and Paragon Lost spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

_These is BioWare's toys, I'm just sitting in the corner playing with them and making no money._

_A/N: This story follows my own personal playthrough of ME3 with my own FemShep. Enjoy!_

* * *

James Vega smiled. He probably looked like an idiot while doing it, he certain almost felt like one at that moment in time, but for the most part he really didn't care. He didn't care how he might look, nor did he care that technically the whole galaxy was falling apart and they could all be dead very, very soon. He didn't care because, in the here and now, he felt great and he was also, completely and utterly drunk.

He glanced around at the scene before him, his vision somewhat wobbly and smiled again. It'd been one hell of a night, and there was no denying that. Shepard knew how to throw a party. Or at least she hadn't underestimated how much booze her crew could drink…and it turned out there were people who'd served aboard the Normandy that could actually drink him under the table. Jack had before she'd staggered away, laughing about how shitfaced he was. He liked Jack, she was crazy and she had some of the best and worst ink he'd ever seen, and the girl could drink. What wasn't there to like?

Everyone else seemed to have wandered away some time ago too. He could see EDI and Samara chatting at the kitchen table. He had to wonder if the Justicar ever slept, or drank for that matter. He'd not seen her with a glass in her hand all night, but he'd watched at firm blue ass shake when Samara had danced. Everyone had enjoyed that view…even Steve, though James suspected for a whole different set of reasons that he refused to divulge.

He could feel the thunderous snores of Wrex through the soles of his boots, though he had no idea where the krogan was. It'd been great to see him again, same with Grunt. It had seemed like their mission to Tuchanka had been years ago, rather than months. James had vowed that if they all made it out of this one alive, he'd go to Tuchanka and spend some time with the krogan. Clan Urdnot seemed like a badass bunch he'd like to get to know.

Where everyone else was, he had no idea. He'd lost track of most as the night went on. People moving about between groups all night, even Shepard had been hard to keep track of as she spent time with everyone. Zaeed had left for pizza a while ago as the company wouldn't deliver after the last fiasco, and James hadn't seen him return. He had no idea where Steve or Traynor were at. Liara, Tali and Garrus had spent most of their time in the kitchen together, but had drifted elsewhere. He suspected Javik had passed out with Wrex, the two of them had got into some sort of pissing match while Grunt guarded the door. Even now the krogan was still talking to the screen…but no one had called in a while. He seemed happy so no one had disturbed him. Kasumi could've been anywhere, he's reached out a couple of times on the sofa, checking in case she was there, cloaked. But thankfully, his hands had passed through air. He wasn't sure of Kasumi, she hid behind that hood and never seemed to join in…but she has watched them all. Hell, she'd sat on his back while he'd done his best to prove his physical superiority over the biotics. As for Shepard, Miranda, Jacob and Kaidan…who knew. That was a mix that James thought could've been easily volatile, but if James had hoped for fist-fights…he was sorely let down.

What a night! He thought to himself as he reclined on the sofa, stretching out across the expensive leather. Shepard's pad was amazing and he was a little jealous of it, but for all its lush furniture and spacious layout, he wasn't sure he could live somewhere like this. He'd spoken of this to Shepard before, when he'd come up to show her the N7 tattoo he'd gotten. He told of where he'd grown up, and how different it was from this place. Shepard had listened and had been interested in his childhood by the sea. She had seemed a little wistful; after all she was a spacer, who wouldn't dream of life by the sea when your home was in space? It worked both ways too. For all he'd spent his life on earth, James had dreamed of the stars, of getting away from Earth, his father and his miserable life. Things had turned out a little differently than he expected it to, but it wasn't all that bad. And when he thought of the petite, blonde-haired Commander and all that she'd done and shown him, it made it all worthwhile.

Joker snored softly on the other sofa, drawing James's attention. He'd passed out some time ago and EDI had let him sleep. He shook his head when the thought about Joker and EDI. He had no beef against the two of them, and EDI was hot in that body…but she was a robot, and in that respect, James was old fashioned and wasn't sure he could sustain a serious relationship with someone who couldn't give him kids one day. Kids like April.

Oh crap! Alcohol downer!

James grit him teeth and fought against the memory of Fehl Prime and all that had happened there. He'd had a good night and didn't want to ruin it. He needed to do something to take his mind off his mistakes. He needed to do something to relax, but he couldn't drink any more. In fact, he felt doubly sure his body couldn't possibly take any more liquid, regardless of the alcohol content.

He blinked, the idea coming as suddenly as the face of the little girl he'd left to die. Of course, he'd mentioned it earlier than evening, but had never managed to get around to suggesting it to anyone. They all knew Shepard had one, Traynor had blabbed about it. But in the heights of the party, it had never come up as a possibility. But he'd said he was going to check it out, and check it out he would.

The floor seemed decidedly uneven, especially the stairs as James clung to the banister and hauled himself up. Just ahead was Shepard's bedroom, and he breathed a distinct sigh of relief to see that the bed was empty. That could've been unspeakably awkward had he stumbled upon someone in bed, regardless of whom, number of occupants or state of dress. But the room was unused that night and had he been a little more coherent, he might have figured out why.

The door to the bathroom was closed, but that didn't stop him. He pushed the button and waded into the warm, close air that billowed from within and came up short.

James Vega blinked and suddenly, he didn't feel quite as drunk as he had a moment ago.


	2. Chapter 2

He stood stock still, not daring to move, not daring to breathe and wishing that he had a tactical cloak at that very moment. In fact, he'd have given his right arm for a cloak or at least that he hadn't strode so brazenly into someone else's bathroom.

The room had not been as empty has he'd have liked. In fact, it wasn't empty at all and in that moment, James Vega was utterly convinced that no situation he had ever been in at any point in his life up, until until a few moments ago, could've be as bad as this one. He'd fought the scum of the galaxy and stood against some of the deadliest foes without so much blinking an eyelid, but nothing could've prepared him for what he saw.

He knew he should run, he should flee before they noticed him. He should bolt for the door out of here and not stop running until he reached the Normandy. But he couldn't. He couldn't move, couldn't even look away…the picture before him was too enticing. Too enthralling. Too forbidden for him to even blink.

Unconsciously, he licked him lips. His eyes fixed on what was happening before him.

James's gaze followed a strong, tanned hand as it trailed fingertips up the spine of a pale skinned back. He watched as the water droplets flowed back down that slender expanse to disappear back into the water that hid an almost tantalisingly exposed posterior, almost. But his eyes were drawn back up, following the path of that hand and admiring the shudders it caused.

He bit his lip at those fingers stopped a moment to caress the telltale scar that was clear as day in this situation, though usually hidden behind the high collar of a uniform or the gorget of armour. It wasn't the only one that graced the crew either, in fact, the owner of those fingers had one almost identical to the one that was being teased and stroked right now. James grinned at the reaction the touch got, vaguely surprised at how sensitive the area appeared to be. It made him wonder what it might feel like to touch it himself.

He felt himself twitch at the thought, his fear seeming to dwindle at little at the thought. And what a thought it was, made worse, or perhaps better when the hand shifted once more to bury itself in the thick, blonde strands of Commander Freya Shepard's hair.

James had always wondered about the Commander's hair. It was odd for him to ponder on that fact, despite the fact he had always done just that. The Commander's hair was blonde, and since everyone knew that the natural blonde was a rare beast, at best these days, it made James wonder if she actually was a natural blonde, or if she, like so many others gained her hair colour from bottle.

During the six months he had stood guard over Shepard, he had wondered it. He'd never questioned it before, no matter how many pictures or vids he watched of Shepard before he got to know her. Even when they had become friendly over the course of her incarceration, he had wondered but never had the courage to ask. Not even serving aboard the Normandy, watching her back in battle and socialising with her with off duty could persuade him to ask something so personal. But in the end, the answer had been easy enough to find.

Steve and he had gone to 'investigate' more of Shepard's new apartment during the course of the party. At this point, Steve was so drunk that he'd found everything utterly hilarious. In fact, it had been his idea to go and look for things…and for reasons James couldn't even begin to fathom, he'd declared the best place to look was Shepard's underwear draw.

For a gay man, he sure seemed to like women's underwear. Tali had literally caught them red-handed, as Steve was admiring a decidedly non-standard issue bra that was a deliciously deep shade of red. They had frozen the moment she had coughed to announce her presence, but due to a bizarre turn of events that James couldn't even begin to explain…Tali and Steve had ended up jumping on Shepard's bed. Steve was wearing the Commander's red bra, amply stuffed with her socks while Tali had found the bottoms that went with them as was wearing them like an eye-patch over her helmet and talking pirate. James couldn't look at the as laughing was starting to hurt, so he'd gone poking around in the room again, keeping his back firmly to the pair as the bounced around. And that was when he saw it.

It was a simple, digital frame. Motion activated. He was a little weary when the image popped up, not sure what it might contain. Much to his surprise, despite the discovery of the red underwear, it was something benign, a picture of three people.

One was a formidable looking woman with green eyes and a crop of thick, fiery red hair. She stood beside a tall, thin faced man. His eyes were a pale blue but his hair as the colour of straw. Both where dressed in Alliance uniforms of a style that was no longer in use. The woman in a dress uniform, the man in off duty fatigues. In the man's arms, smiling at the camera was a little girl, no more than four or five. Mischief danced in eyes the same colour as her mother's. Who else could the woman in the picture be? And tied back in bunches with dark blue ribbons was a tumble of long, blonde hair, a little darker than her father's but still very much blonde.

James smiled at the picture. The Shepards, in all their average family glory. Hard to think that beaming little girl, cradled in her father's arms was the Hero of the Citadel. That she would take on the worst the galaxy could throw at her and come out the other side victorious. It also made him realise that he had never heard Shepard talk about her father. He had seen pictures of her mother; the then Captain Hannah Shepard had become quite famous after the reported death of her daughter. She had even contacted Shepard during her incarnation. James tried not to listen in on the conversations they'd had, despite the fact it was part of his job, in case Shepard was conspiring with her mother. It made James wonder why the Commander never mentioned her father.

Something changed. Something in that bathroom suddenly changed and it snapped James Vega out of his reverie like a slap across the face, though he hadn't been physically struck. Eyes. Eyes were upon him. They were staring at him with a look that was a variable mix of amusement, shock and even annoyance.

Dark eyes...Brown eyes.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!

'Kaidan? What are you….'

A pair of green eyes appeared along with the first.

'Oh. Oh, I see!'


	3. Chapter 3

'Hello James.' Shepard purred at him, a wicked grin crossing her lips and she regarded him over a pale shoulder.

He tried to speak, tried to say something witty in response but there was no words. He couldn't think of a single thing to say. He saw her pout in mock sadness at his silence, but there was mischief dancing her eyes. Not the childish mischief in the picture, but a much darker mischief that could only end…either well or badly, it all depended on him.

She turned back to Kaidan. 'He's not going to speak to me.' She cooed at him as if wounded, drawing his attention back to her.

James watched something pass between the two of them, a silent conversation that he would dearly loved to have known the content of, but when the Major return his attention to James, the same glint was in his eyes too. He felt like prey at that moment. Caught in the gaze of two alpha predators, and they were both hungry.

'Ummm….' He finally found his voice, but his legs were still leaden. His eyes darted around, trying to look at anything other than his commanding officer and her lover, naked and together in the hot tub. 'Great party Shepard.'

Inside, James groaned. Really? He'd said that out loud. Right now, he wanted, no NEEDED, a black hole to pop into existence under his feet. He needed to be sucked into oblivion rather than suffer this embarrassment. And yet still he had no physically moved. In fact, despite everything, he was starting to find this whole situation rather erotic and he feared that it was starting to show. He knew he was feeling the beginnings of it.

'Yes.' She breathed with a sweet smile. 'But the party doesn't have to be over yet. Unless you want it to.'

Oh no! Alarm bells started ringing in his skull. No, no, no, no, no!

Freya lent forward to gently deliver a sweet kiss on the lips of the Major before she turned around to face James and he couldn't help but sneak a peek, his eyes seeming to move of their own accord to look down upon her.

Now, Lieutenant James Vega could not and did not deny that he'd given Shepard a look over on more than one occasion. In fact he'd pretty much said as much to her, that night in Purgatory when she had joined him and some of the other Alliance privates for a drink. He hadn't been lying either, she filled out an Alliance uniform in all the right places. And when she trained, she had a nasty habit of wearing a vest that, when her training session was over, clung to her with a tenacity that had turned James head on more than one occasion, as well as speak to other parts of his anatomy.

But for all he looked and wondered, it was another thing to actually see. He'd pondered what lay beneath that uniform. He's wondered what she might be like laid bare. He was a red-blooded male, after all and a nice, firm set of tits was something that made him smile. They were something to be admired and enjoyed…except if they belonged to your commander. Then they shouldn't be fantasised about and DEFINITELY not seen.

But James couldn't look away.

His eyes travelled down the gentle slope of her breasts, which stood proud upon her chest. He'd seen a fair few pairs over the course of his life, big and small, real and fake…the Commanders were pretty average in terms of size but clearly natural. He liked that. Yeah, a rack like Miranda's was glorious to look at, but fake or engineered ones never felt right in his hands. He had wondered about Samara's too. That suit she wore left little to the imagination but they looked divine to the point here James just wanted nothing more than to slick his face between them and live there.

He licked him lips when he saw the pert nipples too and crazy things raced through his head when he saw them, all the things he would do to those tits, and all the things that would happen if he did them. Despite the heat, he shuddered and forced himself too look at Shepard's face. She didn't seem to have noticed his gaze, nor his discomfort. She smiled at him with wicked eyes and advance towards him through the water. In her wake, Kaidan seemed to hover. Keeping his distance and out of James's line of sight…but he was there, in the corner of his vision. Watching and waiting, As patient as ever.

'Come and join us James.' Shepard breathed; she extended her hand towards him, almost begging him to take it. James saw the water run down her arm, following it for a moment as it ran down to this perky little tits. He bit back a groan to glimpse them again, now painfully aware that he was getting hard and the sight and situation.

'Come and join us.' She said again. 'There's always room for one more.'

He swallowed. His hands shook with suppressed feeling. She wanted him to join them. She wanted him to get in the water and he was struggling to resist. A small part of his brain was screaming at him, the part that was usually much MUCH louder. It was the part of him that had refused to fraternize once he had joined the military. That kept him on the straight and narrow, which in turn kept him in the Alliance so he'd never have to return to his old life. But he'd drunk so much that the little voice that told him this was so utterly wrong was quiet. It had been buried under the alcohol that the other part of him, the one that wanted to bend Shepard over his weapons bench and fuck her seven ways from Sunday seemed to be trying to take control.

Kaidan appeared at Shepard's shoulder, his hands snaking around her body and he began to touch and knead her in ways that James had thought about doing himself. And in the moment, James felt a distinct pang of jealousy. Why should he get to do that to her and not him? He felt his jaw tighten for a moment as Kaidan open his mouth to speak, his voice a low rumble.

'She wants you, James. Are you going to deny her? Are you going to deny yourself?'

He gave Shepard a possessive squeeze and nipped at her neck, making her moan and quiver. He did it again; all the while he looked at James as if he was gauging his reaction to what he did to Shepard. James swallowed and his hands moved of their own accord, pulling the shirt from his back in one fell sweep. That made the Commander smile. That made her eyes rake hungrily over his body in an approving manner. It wasn't the first time she'd seen him like this, he wasn't ashamed of his body, quite the opposite. The only difference was, this time he was so aroused that he felt like his was going to rip through his pants without touching them.

She bit the corner of her lip and pointed.

'Now the pants,' she commanded softly. '…slowly.'

James Vega was lost. He couldn't stop himself even if he tried. Shepard commanded him, and he obeyed. He obeyed as if they were on the battlefield and she had given him an order to storm the enemy to win victory. He couldn't deny her as he wriggled out of his clothes and stood before them both, just as naked as they were.

He grinned and raised an eyebrow as the Commander and Major looked up at him and once again the words that came out of his mouth should have made him cringe, but he said them anyway, a measure of his cockiness returned. There was no turning back now, the best thing he could do was go for it and worry about the consequences later.

'Room for one more?' he asked and slide into the water.


	4. Chapter 4

James sighed as warm water rushed to meet him, enveloping his body in its embrace. His eyes never left those that share the hot tub and he wondered exactly what was going to happen next, as well as how this was going to work. He had never had any desire to be with another man, but he wasn't against another watching…or even watching others. It was all good to him. But he raised a questioning eyebrow at them while he reclined.

Kaidan bent forward to whisper something in Shepard's ear, and once again there was the slight pang of jealous that he was so close to her as she lent slightly into him, his hands still upon her body. Finally she nodded with a little giggle and turned her attention back to James and advanced on him. But this time, it wasn't in the aggressive and hungry manner she had before, quite the opposite.

James blinked, completely blindsided to see the Commander come to him in a meek, submissive fashion. He'd never seen Shepard look anything other than dominate and in charge. She never bowed to anyone; in fact she stood her ground and fought every step of the way. It had been one of the things that James had admired most about her. She was a leader, she answered to no one. And so, to see her like this spoke to James in a number of ways yet he was unsure if it was a trick, a sex game she was playing with him. Perhaps he'd find out and maybe beat her at her own game.

She came so close, so close yet she remained distant enough that she didn't touch him, and she dipped her head, looking down into the water for a moment before she peered up, through that crop of blonde hair to glance coyly at him with a shy smile on her lips. It was an almost intoxicating image and James felt him heart pound in his chest to see it while heat pooled in his stomach.

Shepard opened her mouth to say something, but James didn't give her a chance to do anything more than draw breath. A strong hand shot out to grab at her, pulling her towards him sharply. She lost her balance in the water with the suddenness of his movement that she fell against him, her hands resting against his chest to steady herself. But it was too late, her head was already swimming has James crushed his lips against hers, his tongue plunging into her mouth as she gasped in surprise.

For a moment, she struggled against the commanding hand on the back of her neck, but just for a moment. After that, she seemed to melt into the kiss, allowing him to steer it in whatever direction he wished. He bruised her lips with the force before he took a moment to take a breath before giving a silent apology for the force he had use by kissing her again, but softly this time.

His head was starting to spin as his lips played against her. They were soft and she used them so sweetly when she wasn't screaming orders across a bloodstained battlefield. He moaned at the thought and in that moment, he was suddenly exceptionally possessive of the woman before him, wrapping his arms around him and pulling her close. He felt her breasts press against his chest and her fingers dug into his back as she embraced him in return.

Carefully, he cracked up an eye, looking past the Commander to where the Major was. He retreated to give them space, watching them intently but passively. In that moment, James wasn't sure how he could just sit there and watch. If Shepard had been his woman, he'd have torn the eyes out of the head of anyone that looked at her. And yet he had allowed him to kiss her. He blinked, remembering that Shepard hasn't his woman. But they had allowed him to join them in this. He couldn't leave the Major out of this completely. So he beckoned the Major over and bid Shepard to lean back against him, her head on his shoulders which gave James the utterly irresistible open invitation to those lovely tits of her's. So, while Shepard sucked on Kaidan's tongue, James played with the mounds of flesh before him.

They felt glorious in his hands as he teased them with his fingers and then his mouth and tongue, making the Commander moan gratefully into the Major's mouth. She also wriggled in a suitably pleasing way against the two men she was sandwiched between, allowing them to return her pleasing sounds with rumbles of their own and move against her in a counterpoint to her own squirms.

James closed his eyes and bit down softly on the nipple in his mouth. There was a hand around him, stroking him. He could feel firm fingers working him, but in the tangle of limbs that he was now part of, he couldn't tell whose hand it was. And with all that hand was doing to him, it wasn't long before he no longer cared who it belonged to. They knew how to touch, how to please and he moaned the Commander's nickname against her flesh.

'Yes, James?' she asked huskily, her own voice thick with arousal.

He risked opening his eyes, glimpsing down to find that it was Shepard who'd been giving him that Grade A hand job, and secretly glad it was her while doubly impressed that she was giving Kaidan one with her other hand. Her green eyes were now dark with want and need; no doubt they reflected his own, while Kaidan was so preoccupied with the dark love bite he'd made on the side of Shepard's neck that he didn't bother looking up.

He tried to speak, but words failed him once more. He wanted to tell Shepard how much he wanted her, tell her what he wanted to do to her but the words wouldn't come. But she read his expression, her hand leaving his throbbing hard on to touch his own hand, to guide it where she knew he wanted it to be.

'Touch me, James.' She whispered and he obeyed her command.

He swallowed as his hand slipped between her thighs and began to explore. How many times had he imagined this? Quite a few, although for the most part, his fantasies about her were all rough sex in stolen moments rather than all the petting and playing of foreplay. But with such an offer, how could he refuse? Kaidan had asked him that much before and he had no answer then, just as he had none now.

She wreathed even more when James slid his fingers within her. She moaned loudly and then proceeded to swear quietly under her breath, as he began to pump her and James couldn't help but smirk as she bit her lip and rode his fingers. That made Kaidan smirk and he moved closer to the Commander, no doubt thrusting against the delicious backside Shepard owned.

'She's not going to last long.' Kaidan's soft, gravely voice cut through the moaning as if he'd almost whispered it directly into James's ear. 'Do you want me to take her…or would you like to fuck her until she screams your name?'

James glared at Kaidan's words, never thinking that he would have ever heard the Major say such things. He was a good man and he love Shepard dearly, so to hear him say something so base shocked him. But there was a sincere look upon his face. James bit his lip, clearly unsure what to do, looking between the two of them. The Major smiled.

'Don't worry. If you want her, I'm sure she won't mind.'

'I won't mind, James.' Shepard whispered breathlessly.

Something inside him snapped at those words, and before he knew what he was doing he'd withdrawn his fingers, turned Shepard around and pulled her down onto his lap with an almighty groan of satisfaction and arousal as he buried himself so deeply into the Commander that he thought he might just explode there and then.

The world narrowed and everything outside of that room seemed to utterly disappear. All that matter was him and Shepard. And holy crap was she hot and tight around him. She gripped him just right and felt like silk as he moved against her.

He grit his teeth and gripped Shepard's hips, guiding her into a rhythm that he hoped suited them both, and if the noises the Commander was making were any indication, it was. He was barely aware that Kaidan had once again moved away to give them room and to watch. To watch as the woman that he loved was almost bent double by another man with a wild abandon. If James was any judge of the expression on the Major's face, he was enjoying the show, though his eyes were fixed on Shepard's while his hands moved in a way that James knew would have him joining them in their release soon enough.

He grunted and bucked even harder at the thought, decidedly turned on by the thought of being watched and the approval between the two of them for what was happening. He didn't even care about the aftermath of this, he knew he should but the feeling of Shepard on top of him pushed it all away.

He was close. So was she as he could feel her gripping him harder, her fingers digging into his legs as she bucked against him with wilder and more frequent movements and he was matching her. His fingers would no doubt leave bruises on her hips to match the dark love bite on her neck, which she'd have a fair time trying to explain away if anyone saw it. But that was for later. In the here and now all that matter was finding their release. One of his hands left her hip and snaked back between Shepard's legs to stroke her once more, to wring as many of those pleasing moans from her sweet mouth as he could, and she didn't disappoint either, the sound driving James wild.

He thrust hard. He did it again and again. Once, twice, three time. He was almost there, almost there just one more thrust…just one…more…thrust.


	5. Chapter 5

James Vega woke with a start. His heart was pounding in his chest, his breathing was ragged and it seemed that Morning Glory was in residence in his pants too. His eyes darted around the room as if an enemy lurked in every corner, ready to pounce. Or at least he was looking around in fear that someone had witnessed what had happened. His cheeks burned with shame.

It had felt so real. He licked his lips, thinking that he'd be able to still taste Shepard upon them, only to grimace. His mouth was dry and grim and he coughed to clear his throat. He'd fallen asleep on the couch, his head right back on the edge of the sofa and he suspected he'd snored something awful and he dearly hoped no one had heard him. But the rumble felt through the soles of his boots that preceded the veritable thunderstorm that was Wrex negated that feeling straight away.

He checked the time. It was early, but not massively so. Joker was still in almost the same position as he was in when James had looked at him last. Was that before or after he'd decided to go in the hot tub? He shook his head, he really wasn't sure.

Flashes of the dream ran through his head in that moment. That blonde hair, the way the water ran down that slender back, those calm and amused brown eyes. James shivered at the thought, and not in a good way. He felt like he'd crossed the line despite the fact he'd done nothing. Sure he'd thought about it, but Shepard wasn't the only woman he'd fantasied about in his life. But that dream had been something else, and he was suddenly very aware of how uncomfortable it made him.

Shit! Could he ever look Shepard in the eye again, after this?

'Good morning James.' Said a pleasant voice as it emerged from the kitchen. James blinked and looked up, it was EDI and was suddenly aware of the massive boner he currently had. He dearly hoped EDI wouldn't notice, it was a vain hope, but if he didn't draw attention to the tent pole in his boxers, maybe she wouldn't notice, or at least he hoped she'd be discrete about it. Plus talking might calm it down enough for him to escape her scrutiny. It wasn't that he didn't trust EDI, but he got the sense that she was always watching.

'Hey EDI.' He replied, a little bit of the embarrassment washing away with the simple interaction with the AI.

'You appear to the second one awake this early, despite the fact that you alcohol consumption was second only to Jack's.'

James frowned. 'Second?'

EDI nodded. 'Yes. Samara awoke about an hour ago and is meditating upstairs. She seems quite refreshed after last night's festivities. Although I suspect that the others may not be able to say the same.'

James laughed at that, he could feel his hangover brewing at the back of his skull. It threatened to be monstrous one too. But some things were worth it in the end, except for the almost world endingly bad and sinking feeling that he got from a superbly erotic sex dream about his boss.

'Any idea where everyone else is?' He enquired, trying to keep the conversation going and EDI was happy to oblige, though he tried not to react when EDI said that Shepard and Major Alenko had gone to bed together in Shepard's room. She then started to theorise on everyone's behaviour and sleeping patterns after the extreme consumption of alcohol. James allowed her to talk, not paying that much attention to her, but listening enough that if she asked him any questions, he would be able to at least bluff his way through an answer. EDI was nice enough, but she could be pretty intense until you told her to stop. But James's mind was upstairs, in Shepard's room and a moment of cold dread settled in the pit of his stomach.

What if it wasn't just a dream? Was it possible that maybe he had actually done those things, been so drunk that he hasn't remembered them until afterwards when he'd passed out, and then dreamt about it? He had no idea, although sometimes he dreamt of things that he'd before, and they'd seemed real, or at least as real as when they'd originally happened. He had to find out. He looked at EDI; he could ask her if anything happened. She was an AI, she didn't need sleep and she suspected that her sexy robot body had enough sensors to cover the whole apartment. James took a breath and opened his mouth.

'Morning all!'

James sagged; the moment was lost as Traynor appeared with Steve in tow. The pair has been asleep in the study and it seemed that Traynor had woken Steve up as he had a decidedly grumpy look on his face. Steve Cortez was not a morning person. James had learned that quickly and to steer clear of him until he'd had his first cup of coffee. After that, the rest of the crew seemed to rouse, and as they got up, James's anxiety grew while the bulge in his pants diminished, all but Shepard and Kaidan.

'Estaban...you look like shit. How 'bout I make you some eggs?' He leant over and asked his friend, who merely nodded weakly in return. It was a good excuse to get out from under everyone's attention.

Typically, Shepard was the last to make an appearance. Kaidan had arrived first, he had nodded to James as he cooked eggs for everyone, whether they wanted them or not...who didn't eat eggs the morning after the night before? But past the nod of greeting, the Major didn't seem to do or say anything else to him or anyone, save cursing the coffee machine. Apparently Shepard hadn't bothered to change the filter, if his cursing was anything to go by. And he took his plate of eggs with a gracious smile. James studied him while he handed over the plate, looking for any hint of that hungry, predatory gaze James had encountered in that dream. But none seemed forthcoming, nor was there any hint that anything untoward had happened between them. It made James frown.

Was it a dream? I dunno, is the Major that much of a player? He'd played the guy a number of times at poker, and James could often tell if he was bluffing. Kaidan was just too nice and honest to be a hugely successful liar. He wasn't so sure, but then he stopped. He remembered and hoped that Shepard would appear soon, she'd provide him with all the answers he needed. Or at least her neck would.

James almost shuddered when he remember seeing the Major biting down on the Commander's neck, she'd had a lovely, big love bite there that Kaidan had worked diligently on. If the Commander was in her civvies, he'd be able to see if she had it. If not that he was off the hook.

But what if she had? Or what if she wore her uniform this morning? The high collar would hide it. He cursed, once again feeling bad for what had happened, real or imagined. He felt terrible because she had broken him. Shepard had smashed down his barriers and laid him bare as a creature of want and need. Yeah, they had flirted a lot for fun and she'd questioned him on it, hell he'd even outright asked if the flirting was having a negative effect on her and Kaidan, she had laughed and told him 'Not even remotely' but still she flirted with him. It was confusing sometimes. She was confusing. He was confusing. He'd become so attached to Shepard, in more ways than he thought possible. She was his hero, his commanding officer, his unofficial N7 trainer. But she had also become his friend and confidant, and he admired her in more ways than he could say. But there was an animal attraction too. One he'd had before but never this intense, especially for someone who was already deeply involved with someone else.

'Eggs, James?' Shepard's voice rolled over his shoulder and he glanced around with a start before quickly looking away. He hadn't heard her come in.

'Yeah, sure.' He spooned half the eggs on to an empty plate and handed them to her without looking at her.

'You are a star! I could kiss you!'

James felt his cheeks flush at the comment. Her lips had been so soft and she'd tasted so sweet.

'Hey!' Kaidan had protested in mock indignation, earning sniggers from Miranda as she slipped tea at the bench. James got the sense that Shepard did something to placate the Major but he still didn't dare to look, however, he found himself a little heartened by Kaidan's reaction to hearing what Shepard was saying. It was hardly the clear acceptance and encouragement that he had gotten before.

Was it a dream? Maybe it was. But I have to be sure. The last half of the eggs went onto another plate for himself and with a deep breath he followed Shepard to sit down at the kitchen table. He still couldn't look at her, but took a few deep, calming breaths and dug deep to find his courage. After all, he had to know.

James Vega looked up to see Commander Freya Shepard eating as if she'd been starved and attacking the food with the military precision of a full tactical strike. Biotics, he shook his head, they ate like horses, their powers kicked like mules and yet they seemed to get thinner rather than bulkier. It was also something of the least charming light to see the Commander in. Stuffing her face with food that would put a hamster to shame and he couldn't help but almost laugh at the scene. But what really made the scene so funny was what Shepard was wearing.

She always looked like a petulant teenager when she wore that N7 hoodie. A black t-shirt was always the choice for underneath and completed with a pair of old, black combats and her boots.

Shepard looked up, as if she felt eyes upon her, and he glanced over the pale expanse of her neck, her unblemished neck and suddenly James felt exceptionally foolish. It had been a dream, a very real, very arousing dream...but a dream all the same and suddenly he felt as if he no longer knew the woman before him. It was odd, to have imagined her stripped bare before him, hearing her say things and having her do things that felt so real...suddenly James Vega felt his connection to the Commander weaken. Was what he could imagine more real than what he had? He thought he knew Shepard, but there was suddenly much he didn't know about her.

He saw her frown as her eyes found his, the green eyes of her mother, the formidable red-headed Admiral Hannah Shepard.

'James, are you ok? You look...' as Shepard searched for the words, she reached up to push a strand of that thick, blonde hair behind her ear, she didn't finish the sentence.

'Lola. Can I ask you a personal question?' James interrupted, the idea coming so quickly that he was amazed he'd never thought of it before. It was a wild idea, but he had to make something real happen, to prove that the woman before him was better than some lurid fantasy, that what he could make up in his head was nothing more than the palest imitation of the real thing. He had to know that they were still friends and could remain so, even if he felt a base attraction for her.

'Of course you can James.' She replied, her look of concern deepening.

'How come you never talk about your dad?' he asked.

Commander Freya Shepard blinked, clearly surprised and James watched a whole range of emotions cross her face. Each micro-expression more real and vivid than anything he had experienced in that dream and in that moment he knew that whoever that was, who had worn the face of his friend, it wasn't her. It was no more her than that Cerberus clone had been. She hadn't said a word, but James understood and nodded.

'What was he like?'

And with that, she put down her fork, took a breath to collect her thoughts and she began to speak.


End file.
